(19)
(11) EP 0 838 913 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
11.10.2000 Bulletin 2000/41

(43) Date of publication A2:
29.04.1998 Bulletin 1998/18

(21) Application number: 97307814.0

(22) Date of filing: 03.10.1997
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: H04B 10/155
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AT BE CH DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LI LU MC NL PT SE

(30) Priority: 23.10.1996 US 735759

(71) Applicant: Nortel Networks Limited
Montreal, Quebec H2Y 3Y4 (CA)

(72) Inventor:
  • Roberts, Kim Byron
    Welwyn Garden City, Herts, AL8 7DL (GB)

(74) Representative: Ryan, John Peter William et al
Nortel Networks Intellectual Property Law Group London Road
Harlow, Essex CM17 9NA
Harlow, Essex CM17 9NA (GB)

   


(54) Stable power control for optical transmission systems


(57) In an optical transmission system, an optical signal is transmitted to an optical element which is sensitive to changes in the optical power of the signal. Changes in optical power are anticipated and damped by controlling the transmitter output power, or an external damping element. For WDM systems, wavelengths can be added or removed without causing rapid changes in total power which would otherwise disturb the output of downstream optical amplifiers, and cause bit errors.






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